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I think you need to reserach this very thoroughly and decide on what is best for you and your dogs, also taking into consideration your lifestyle and therefore exposure to risk.

Pat's post was excellent, thank you for that.

Brian, sorry to worry you but there are just as many concerns about over vaccinating cats!!

Keeping the immune system healthy is very important - for ourselves and our companions, that is our first line of defence against infection/disease. So a good diet, exercise, fresh air, freedom from stress etc are all very important too.

ETA we always get hearts checked at EVERY opportunity - and it is essential this is done before vaccinating, also that their temperature is taken to make sure they are not fighting an infection. If the dog is off colour or showing any signs of less than perfect health, delay getting the vaccine.

If anything, cats are at greater risk from annual vaccines -- they are more prone to developing cancers at the site of the jab.

I would really encourage people to read the informtion on vaccines in the library.

VET SCHOOLS DO *NOT* RECOMMEND VACCINATING ANY LONGER WITH AN ANNUAL BOOSTER!! They have not recommended annual boosters for many years now. Unfortunately this still is not followed by many vets, who continue to push unneeded annual boosters on clients and their cats and dogs.

All the major vet schools and all the US vet organisations recommend vaccinating with the boosters (the combination vaccine) only *every three years*. If anyone has a vet who recommends otherwise, print out the information from the actual vet organisations and vet schools and ask WHY. There is solid evidence that annual vaccinations at best, over-vaccinate and are an utter waste of money. At worst, they are believed to damage and overstress the immune system in some dogs, making them more susceptible to serious illness, and also there is always the small risk of an anaphylactic reaction.

If this information changes it will be clearly posted. The only way I would expect this recommendation to change is to shift to even FEWER vaccines as the evidence is that after the age 1 booster, a dog is protected for at LEAST three years, some for more like 7, some for their lifetime.

Pet owners simply must start challenging vets on their insistence on annual boosters! I won;t vccinate any dog over 7 now if it has had its three-yearly boosters as there's ample evidence by this age a dog is protected for life, and most of our dogs will have heart and perhaps neurological health issues by age 7-plus, and will not likely benefit from the stress on their system of an annual booster. So please, please read and understand the recommendations and carefully consider whether you really want to give annual vaccinations or stress elderly dogs with vaccinations.

NB: Many dogs do need lepto vaccines annually; will need kennel cough (bordatella) if kennelled, and may need rabies (though rabies too is moving towards three year vaccines in many locales).

Will regards to insurance,as you've already mentioned Brian, I think most of the insurance companies insist on vaccinations being upto date. Given the way the insurers like to wriggle out of paying up, its something to remember. Plus the breed that we love has more than its fair share of health issues so that can stack up costs for an uninsured dog. I understand your pondering.

Every time it comes to vaccination I am racking my brain should I or not? Well since I had Rosie vaccinated I had nothing but problems. First her skin around her nipple got so bad it looked terrible and infected and yesterday I had to take her to the vets again because her glands are swollen and the vet was saying that she is fighting some infection in her body. I told the vet that I think it is the booster and he said; well their immune system gets lower when they have the booster.

I always would have the heart checked.

My friend doesn’t vaccinate her dogs and they are all insured and one of her dogs had diabetes and they paid out over three thousand pound, her other dog has SM and the insurance paid out for that as well.